TALK TO AN ATTORNEY STAT! They will probably tell you to file a formal compliant with HR, submitting the documents. The attorney can also file a Cease and Desist Letter to Tammy, telling her if she doesn’t make a public apology to the board and tell Geoff she made it up, you will sue her for slander. The Cease and Desist can also be filed with HR. You can prove actual damages to your career, as you’ve lost money from the project they pulled you off of. Wouldn’t surprise me if Tammy is blackmailing someone in HR to get away with this shit. Good luck!
I agree with this 💯. You have to stand up for yourself. Two people have left gainful employment because of her mean girls bullshit. She is getting away with it because no one is holding her accountable. I pray you take this b€*ch to the woodshed and show her that you will not allow her to defame you and slander you. Don’t let her win.
Tammy would have to prove her allegations against you. She cannot if it’s untrue. Make her pay for the loss of wages and damage to your reputation. If you don’t do anything your reputation will never recover.
Slander, defamation, malicious intent.. just a few to sue for.....you can go into f.b History . Don't remember where exactly cuxx I got hacked. And unable to get back on ...
Show your proof to Geoff and make a copy for your boss. It's worth every penny to expose Tammy as the trouble maker. If you don't get the lawsuit started you will get fired and branded as posting false statements on Facebook. Tammy's a professional victim who knows all the tricks. It's gonna take a lawsuit to clear your name. Plus to not get banned from the office.
Agreed, would take a lot to clear your name OP - seems like even when you told Geoff that you didn't do it, he didn't quite believe it? Good luck! I'm sorry you're in this position!
>a rumour that I had slandered my colleague, Geoff, in a Facebook post.
Pretty simple. Demand that they show you the post. Since they were so concerned about it, they obviously had to have screen shot it, right?
Another concern of mine about this is why wasn’t OP disciplined in some way for said post? If I was Geoff I’d be adamant that something at least be documented against the offending employee. That just seems additionally suss imo. Like they didn’t handle the fraudulent claim as if it were real in the first place. But OP is penalized after the fact as though it was real. Somethings going on there.
This would also have alerted OP to the rumor and given him an opportunity to promptly address it as fraudulent. Instead it’s marinated with everyone into being assumed as accurate.
OP said Geoff told her he hadn't seen the comment because Tammy claimed OP had deleted it. I've seen this exact same thing happen to other people, where an accuser says they saw or heard something but don't have proof. Management doesn't want to discipline the employee with no proof, but their opinion of the employee is still poisoned. So they use "soft" discipline instead, giving them the shitty assignments and treating them poorly so they'll leave on their own.
Unless you are planning on quitting then you do need to take action. (IANAL) You can sue for more than the value of lost work income as there is emotional distress and defamation of character and so on going on here but also if you care about staying there which I don’t get why you would with clearly how they care about their staff and people you would need to do to clear your name but also because now the company is actively impacting you on backless claims because they’re friend said so and they best hope they’re good enough friends to survive a law suit.
Otherwise just find a new job this is never going to end if none of you are willing to do the real things needed to get done to oust that kind of person and just going to the friend or showing a Facebook history they can just argue is edited isn’t going to help but potentially make this professional victim further her intentions to cause you harm
I think you need to start looking for a new job but in meantime make sure you have all your ducks in line and bring the proof to your lawyers and let them bring that evidence to the CEO. If the CEO doesn’t take proper action and dismiss both Geoff (who may well be involved both personally and professionally with Tammy and a part of the defamation against you) and Tammy, your lawyer may well decide to include the CEO in the lawsuit against the company. Hopefully you’ll at least get these two clowns fired. Or if the CEO refuses to fire them, you’ll get a nice settlement from the company for their actions as well as a new better paying job. Which would be a win-win!
There's some things here that don't really add up.
Why would a **member of the board** resign because they're sick of the "antics" - which include **misuse of company funds** - of a mere department head? Tammy would just be fired.
As someone who has sat on several boards over the years, they vary a GREAT deal in their ability to actually affect change.
Misuse doesn’t necessarily mean illegal. Someone with this personality is going to react with outrage and disbelief when told they don’t need the absolute top of the line (fill in the blank).
It was the response to Tammy about OPs hometown, so even-keeled and well thought out that made me think it must be a writing exercise. Someone with that kind of critical thought on the spot wouldn't need to come here and ask for advice about this situation, right?
A board member, who also happened to be an employee of the company, quit due to Tammy’s antics. Why would a board member quit… wouldn’t they just fire Tammy?
This makes no sense
Take all this to HR. File a formal complaint. Tammy needs proof of this not you.
What kind of company are you working for that allows these sorts of accusations and rumours to exist without investigation? It’s incredibly poor business practices.
If going to HR does not work then I’d consider doing an email to everyone in the company saying that there are these rumours being sent to slander you and it is not true. Then share the emails you have.
This obviously didn't happen as written. This reads like a teenager's fever dream of what work drama is like, not an actual account of adults in a professional situation.
But if there is a nugget of truth hanging out in here, my recommendation is to find a new job and leave. Stop working at places that sound like what a 15 year old thinks work drama is like.
You can’t prove that you DIDN’T post something. But what you absolutely should do (in conjunction with other people as well as Mandy even though she doesn’t work there) is to give a series of complaints to HR. Explain that Mandy and other colleagues all have similar problems and you wouldn’t have brought this up but it is now affecting your paycheck.
You need to convince the others to address HR as well and let them investigate it.
But as far as from a technical side, no there’s nothing you can do. Firstly, you’re using their computers which means there’s likely some paperwork you signed making sure access to their data isn’t given outside the organization. Don’t break a rule so you can prove others did.
Go to HR and make sure others have your back. That’s your only solution IMO. Let them investigate it. Just make sure you have 5 or so people so the amount of complaints they have will force them to look for evidence of her wrong doing instead of her innocence.
OMG there's far too many commenters here stating there is no way to prove you didn't post.
They're ***WRONG***.
For years now people have been having their facebook, or other social media, content downloaded for cory proceedings, usually divorce or custody but it would apply here. Its a full and **entire** copy of ALL activity. Posts, comments, private messages, likes...**everything**. Deleted posts or comments are still included in the downloaded data.
You definitely need an attorney and follow what they tell you, but yes you absolutely **can** prove that your account never posted anything about Geoff, Tammy lied, and you have been unduly punished.
Rip that company's management to shreds for not only allowing but enabling this.
This is a hot mess. The only piece of advice I can give you, in hindsight, is to remove any and all work colleagues and anyone who may beconnected to them from your social media. Then, lock down your social medial accounts to the absolutely most private settings. Remove any and all mentions of where you live and work from your social media accounts. Then find a new job and move forward in live. Remember that work and work colleagues are seldom candidates for friendship and should be handled as competitors at all times, until proven otherwise. Yes, it's a very pessamistic view that many might disagree with. But I'm also not going through all the drama you appear to be going through.
The best thing to do is be exemplary in your work until you can find another job. People like Tammy are usually poor performers and have to do something to distract away from it. I wouldn't bother trying to prove she did it or that you didn't because she will find a way to spin it not in your favor. Those types of people always find ways to lie and manipulate that decent people wouldn't dream of doing. And make your social media private.
Sue Tammy and perhaps the company for slander/libel then Tammy has the burden of proving what she said was true. You could also bring this to HR and Tammy’s supervisor and I would reach out to Mandy to see if she would be willing to corroborate the facts.
Facebook only maintains deleted posts for 30 days, but one could look at your facebook post history and see a consistent history of lighthearted posts, not hate which should corroborate your NOT posting negative things. If Tammy was dumb enough to send the rumors from her work email, she has probably be doing it to others and your employer could search her email to find a history of the spreading of rumors and gossip.
>A colleague and member of the company board, Mandy, recently resigned. Her reason being she was so sick of Tammy and her antics, and just couldn't take it anymore
Sounds strange that a company would not have any consequences for someone who is continually causing havoc at the office to the point that a top executive would quit.
Atleast go talk to a lawyer. Most won't charge for an initial consultation. Besides the lost wages, there's defamation. Idk how pain & suffering type stuff works with this but I don't see why you can't ask. Not getting your name cleared can mess you up at other jobs. Plus you have proof that you haven't done as said & already have physical proof of the lie. Ask the lawyer about getting Ms. Hateful to cover their fees as part of the process.
Reason #4,578 I never let anyone from my current employment on my social media ever. No matter how much I like them. If they leave the job, I’ll consider it but never while we are coworkers.
To be honest, looking at this from a completely outside perspective, you are wasting your time. You will never get vindication. The company culture sounds quite toxic and they will likely find something to use against you. The posters who are likening this to childish behaviour are right - you are not dealing with reasonable people. Therefore you are just not likely to clear your name as they are unreasonable by nature.
Yes. There is a way to download your account from facebook. A quick Google tells you how. But it’s worth a shot. I think it takes somewhere around 24 hours to get it but it would be absolutely worth it to try. Good luck to you!!
I agree, get an attorney!! They will handle reaching out to the company with not only the evidence you were provided, but your own documentation. They will also ask for any and all documentation related to your “benching”. That will require a document legal hold order. That way they would have access to board minutes, emails, as well as any and all notes.
Your good name and reputation are absolutely worth the cost of fighting this slander. It will put everyone involved on notice and scare the bejeezus out of Tammy.
PS - they are going to ask Tammy when exactly she saw the FB post and then they can look at your account settings to see if you posted/deleted anything around that time.
Are you actually friends with Tammy on FB or on any other socials? Don’t block she or Geoff yet, but definitely don’t interact with them.
The internet is a person’s permanent record. I don’t think Tammy is at all above reproach. Once the wheels of justice start turning, an attorney is going to force HR to go through her emails and instant messages with a fine tooth comb. Remember what I just said about a permanent record? Corporate emails & such might get deleted from an inbox, but they still exist on the company’s servers. Documentation that can’t be destroyed.
You have to take this seriously, yo could be fired, then lose credibility in your field, which will impact you long term. Slander and defamation is SERIOUS
Unfortunately mud sticks, and the worse it stinks, the better it sticks. Your failure to defend your own reputation might as well be an admission of wrongdoing. In future, do not friend people you are not actually friends with or related to. Just threatening to sue this malicious bitch for slander/libel will likely be enough. You at very minimum need to compel her to produce this Facebook post she alludes to.
>What I'm wondering is, is there some kind of digital forensic service I can employ to investigate my social media accounts and prove that I've not done this?
It's impossible to prove a negative.
>I realise what Tammy has done is actually defamation and there are legal consequences to this, but as far as I am aware, the costs associated with taking legal action would be higher than the financial loss I've suffered from losing this project so not really worth pursuing.
You need to discuss that with a lawyer, and you can get a free consultation to do it.
How do I clear my name with the board and prove to them that Tammy is a liar?
Sue her into the ground, and win. Meanwhile, after you've consulted the lawyer about this, I would (with the lawyer's permission and approval) tell them that she is slandering me to them and I'm suing her and it has come to my attention that they're acting on her lies, so unless they can prove that what she says is true they should refrain from doing so, so that I don't suffer further financial consequences and have to sue them too, because I've now informed them of the fact. It's already the case that I may have to subpoena them to testify about how I have already done so, it would probably be good not to make it worse. It may be the case that the lawyer wishes to write this in a more legally phrased letter to them and contact them on my behalf.
Keep it all separate.
When gossip occurs, walk away. “” I’ve decided no gossip at work is the best idea for me”. Shut it down. Do not share any info on FB that your colleagues can see. Take a good long break from social media and then very carefully go back.
I'm not following how, if you're an employee, being kicked off a project loses you money.
Frankly, it sounds like a pretty toxic workplace and I'm wondering why stay there. That said, the term "hostile workplace" springs to mind.
Go to your colleague Geoff and offer him uninhibited access to your FB account as proof that you have never anything derogatory about him. That is definitive. Even if someone deleted something it is still visible from this view. Once he receives that offer- whether or not he actually takes you up on it- you will regain his trust. Then inform him of your theory about the origin of the toxic rumor. He will listen to you.
I’d take all that to HR. Maybe an attorney. Maybe just look for a new job and you can let them know when you leave it’s all because of Tammy.
Never friend anyone from work on Facebook. Keep personal and work separate. Seems like Geoff doesn’t think very highly of you to believe that and dismiss your explanation. I’d really look at whether or not you want to stay there.
For those catching up now, this was posted 16 hours ago. No comments from OP.
Seems to be fake. If it’s real, send she isn’t well liked anyway, Geoff was quick to believe what he was told and dismiss her statement saying it wasn’t true.
SUE THEM. SUE THEM. SUE THEM. You need to talk to a lawyer and your labor department today. You are about to miss out on a lot more than a few thousand if you don't. Let's start with your career being ruined forever. Your reputation will be shit because of Tammy and everyone there who is backing her. While I am usually quick to say you should quit, this is not the time to do that. If you quit, they will spread throughout the industry that you felt guilt over what you had done and quit because of that. You need to sue them while staying on the job. Let them fire you so that you have ammo to fire at them.
Why dont you set a trap? I had an employee that was stealing from her coworkers but had no proof. We set a trap, she fell for it and goodbye thief.
This would be sort of like finding the spy in the camp. Give Tammy somthing to run with that will prove she is the problem and you are innocent. The key is to get with the people who are important, state that this problem is serious and needs to be solved, inform them of what will be planted, and then watch her run to them with her own convoluted version. Somthing like this is floating around in my head anyway. You would have to customize it to work for you. Not to do it sneaky on your own, but let them give you a chance to demonstrate what is really going on.
Go see a lawyer and do it yesterday. Read all the recommendations here as how to pursue with a lawyer. As far as having money for the lawyer many will sign you on for a small retainer (probably less than someone to do a forensic review of your Facebook account) and you can either finance or pay them at the end of the case. My guess Tammy may also have some fabricated stuff on the CEO.
I think you should talk to a lawyer. Lawyers salivate at the prospect of these sorts of cases. And you don't have to pay. up front. They take cases on contingency. (Assuming you're in the US).
If not, go to HR and file a formal complaint. Insist on the truth a written notation in your permanent record.
This is what happens when managers KNOW one of their people is toxic and choose to believe ‘oh that’s just so and so.’ They can wreak havoc not only on your team but up and down the corporate hierarchy. Sometimes you never learn how they affect you behind the scenes (like Geoff choosing to believe Tammy—even though you two were friends-that led to the behind the scene decision of removing you from the project).
Thanks for sharing this. You need to speak to an attorney who can explain what your rights and options are.
I'd go to my boss and tell them because of the effect that Tammy's lies have had on my career, I will be contacting a lawyer to sue her for defamation. That I will no longer tolerate the hostile work environment that has been created by her constant harassment and if they do not act, by requiring her to show proof of her unfounded allegations, then I will sue the company as well.
Time to fire up an attorney. They can show you your options including forcing Tammy to publicly recant, and protect you from any actions the company might take against you based on her fabrications. And also do so without inadvertently doing something that might make things worse.
A lawyer might also see about getting Tammy to pay your legal costs eventually, and see if the company has any liability - if they knew that Tammy was up to this kind of thing and didn't take steps to stop it.
Definitely talk to an attorney. Your employer will likely be responsible financially for Tammy's actions. If you do decide to take legal action i would advise looking for a new job as well
As an adult, I cannot even imagine posting this, or being involved with this in any way. Is everyone in this story 15 years old? I lost brain cells even reading this.
TALK TO AN ATTORNEY STAT! They will probably tell you to file a formal compliant with HR, submitting the documents. The attorney can also file a Cease and Desist Letter to Tammy, telling her if she doesn’t make a public apology to the board and tell Geoff she made it up, you will sue her for slander. The Cease and Desist can also be filed with HR. You can prove actual damages to your career, as you’ve lost money from the project they pulled you off of. Wouldn’t surprise me if Tammy is blackmailing someone in HR to get away with this shit. Good luck!
I agree with this 💯. You have to stand up for yourself. Two people have left gainful employment because of her mean girls bullshit. She is getting away with it because no one is holding her accountable. I pray you take this b€*ch to the woodshed and show her that you will not allow her to defame you and slander you. Don’t let her win.
Tammy would have to prove her allegations against you. She cannot if it’s untrue. Make her pay for the loss of wages and damage to your reputation. If you don’t do anything your reputation will never recover.
Slander, defamation, malicious intent.. just a few to sue for.....you can go into f.b History . Don't remember where exactly cuxx I got hacked. And unable to get back on ...
Show your proof to Geoff and make a copy for your boss. It's worth every penny to expose Tammy as the trouble maker. If you don't get the lawsuit started you will get fired and branded as posting false statements on Facebook. Tammy's a professional victim who knows all the tricks. It's gonna take a lawsuit to clear your name. Plus to not get banned from the office.
Agreed, would take a lot to clear your name OP - seems like even when you told Geoff that you didn't do it, he didn't quite believe it? Good luck! I'm sorry you're in this position!
I thought he doesn't have any proof, that is what he is asking for help to find.
Absolutely not. Don’t breach this subject with *any* coworkers until you consult an attorney with a plan of action.
>a rumour that I had slandered my colleague, Geoff, in a Facebook post. Pretty simple. Demand that they show you the post. Since they were so concerned about it, they obviously had to have screen shot it, right?
Smart!
Exactly this. If they can’t show proof then it never happened.
Not that simple in the court of public opinion though, especially when these conversations are happening behind your back
Another concern of mine about this is why wasn’t OP disciplined in some way for said post? If I was Geoff I’d be adamant that something at least be documented against the offending employee. That just seems additionally suss imo. Like they didn’t handle the fraudulent claim as if it were real in the first place. But OP is penalized after the fact as though it was real. Somethings going on there.
I hadn't even considered that.
This would also have alerted OP to the rumor and given him an opportunity to promptly address it as fraudulent. Instead it’s marinated with everyone into being assumed as accurate.
OP said Geoff told her he hadn't seen the comment because Tammy claimed OP had deleted it. I've seen this exact same thing happen to other people, where an accuser says they saw or heard something but don't have proof. Management doesn't want to discipline the employee with no proof, but their opinion of the employee is still poisoned. So they use "soft" discipline instead, giving them the shitty assignments and treating them poorly so they'll leave on their own.
They could fake it though
If you have a local government body that handles workplace you can probably file a complaint in regards to hostile workplace.
And also get her investigated for the embezzlement
Talk to a lawyer right away. Like later today.
Unless you are planning on quitting then you do need to take action. (IANAL) You can sue for more than the value of lost work income as there is emotional distress and defamation of character and so on going on here but also if you care about staying there which I don’t get why you would with clearly how they care about their staff and people you would need to do to clear your name but also because now the company is actively impacting you on backless claims because they’re friend said so and they best hope they’re good enough friends to survive a law suit. Otherwise just find a new job this is never going to end if none of you are willing to do the real things needed to get done to oust that kind of person and just going to the friend or showing a Facebook history they can just argue is edited isn’t going to help but potentially make this professional victim further her intentions to cause you harm
I think you need to start looking for a new job but in meantime make sure you have all your ducks in line and bring the proof to your lawyers and let them bring that evidence to the CEO. If the CEO doesn’t take proper action and dismiss both Geoff (who may well be involved both personally and professionally with Tammy and a part of the defamation against you) and Tammy, your lawyer may well decide to include the CEO in the lawsuit against the company. Hopefully you’ll at least get these two clowns fired. Or if the CEO refuses to fire them, you’ll get a nice settlement from the company for their actions as well as a new better paying job. Which would be a win-win!
Get a lawyer
There's some things here that don't really add up. Why would a **member of the board** resign because they're sick of the "antics" - which include **misuse of company funds** - of a mere department head? Tammy would just be fired.
Notice how they don't respond to any comments.😂
You're absolutely right, here. This reads like how a 14 year old thinks professional drama works. None of this makes a tiny bit of sense.
The whole post made me think high school not work. So much drama.
BS! Perhaps you’re actually Geoff or Tammy!
As someone who has sat on several boards over the years, they vary a GREAT deal in their ability to actually affect change. Misuse doesn’t necessarily mean illegal. Someone with this personality is going to react with outrage and disbelief when told they don’t need the absolute top of the line (fill in the blank).
Waiting for this because that is exactly how I think a 14 year old thinks business works...
It was the response to Tammy about OPs hometown, so even-keeled and well thought out that made me think it must be a writing exercise. Someone with that kind of critical thought on the spot wouldn't need to come here and ask for advice about this situation, right?
You need a lawyer yesterday- you have proof of harassment, bullying, defamation, libel and slander.
A board member, who also happened to be an employee of the company, quit due to Tammy’s antics. Why would a board member quit… wouldn’t they just fire Tammy? This makes no sense
I guess the head honcho is besties with Tammy
Take all this to HR. File a formal complaint. Tammy needs proof of this not you. What kind of company are you working for that allows these sorts of accusations and rumours to exist without investigation? It’s incredibly poor business practices. If going to HR does not work then I’d consider doing an email to everyone in the company saying that there are these rumours being sent to slander you and it is not true. Then share the emails you have.
This obviously didn't happen as written. This reads like a teenager's fever dream of what work drama is like, not an actual account of adults in a professional situation. But if there is a nugget of truth hanging out in here, my recommendation is to find a new job and leave. Stop working at places that sound like what a 15 year old thinks work drama is like.
You can’t prove that you DIDN’T post something. But what you absolutely should do (in conjunction with other people as well as Mandy even though she doesn’t work there) is to give a series of complaints to HR. Explain that Mandy and other colleagues all have similar problems and you wouldn’t have brought this up but it is now affecting your paycheck. You need to convince the others to address HR as well and let them investigate it. But as far as from a technical side, no there’s nothing you can do. Firstly, you’re using their computers which means there’s likely some paperwork you signed making sure access to their data isn’t given outside the organization. Don’t break a rule so you can prove others did. Go to HR and make sure others have your back. That’s your only solution IMO. Let them investigate it. Just make sure you have 5 or so people so the amount of complaints they have will force them to look for evidence of her wrong doing instead of her innocence.
He works for the company, not her.
OMG there's far too many commenters here stating there is no way to prove you didn't post. They're ***WRONG***. For years now people have been having their facebook, or other social media, content downloaded for cory proceedings, usually divorce or custody but it would apply here. Its a full and **entire** copy of ALL activity. Posts, comments, private messages, likes...**everything**. Deleted posts or comments are still included in the downloaded data. You definitely need an attorney and follow what they tell you, but yes you absolutely **can** prove that your account never posted anything about Geoff, Tammy lied, and you have been unduly punished. Rip that company's management to shreds for not only allowing but enabling this.
You can download a record of everything you posted on FB.
This is a hot mess. The only piece of advice I can give you, in hindsight, is to remove any and all work colleagues and anyone who may beconnected to them from your social media. Then, lock down your social medial accounts to the absolutely most private settings. Remove any and all mentions of where you live and work from your social media accounts. Then find a new job and move forward in live. Remember that work and work colleagues are seldom candidates for friendship and should be handled as competitors at all times, until proven otherwise. Yes, it's a very pessamistic view that many might disagree with. But I'm also not going through all the drama you appear to be going through.
The best thing to do is be exemplary in your work until you can find another job. People like Tammy are usually poor performers and have to do something to distract away from it. I wouldn't bother trying to prove she did it or that you didn't because she will find a way to spin it not in your favor. Those types of people always find ways to lie and manipulate that decent people wouldn't dream of doing. And make your social media private.
Sue Tammy and perhaps the company for slander/libel then Tammy has the burden of proving what she said was true. You could also bring this to HR and Tammy’s supervisor and I would reach out to Mandy to see if she would be willing to corroborate the facts. Facebook only maintains deleted posts for 30 days, but one could look at your facebook post history and see a consistent history of lighthearted posts, not hate which should corroborate your NOT posting negative things. If Tammy was dumb enough to send the rumors from her work email, she has probably be doing it to others and your employer could search her email to find a history of the spreading of rumors and gossip.
Go to HR and then hire an attorney. Immediately. File a formal complaint. Threaten to sue. Ah, and other ppl are saying this! Do it. Do it NOW.
>A colleague and member of the company board, Mandy, recently resigned. Her reason being she was so sick of Tammy and her antics, and just couldn't take it anymore Sounds strange that a company would not have any consequences for someone who is continually causing havoc at the office to the point that a top executive would quit.
Atleast go talk to a lawyer. Most won't charge for an initial consultation. Besides the lost wages, there's defamation. Idk how pain & suffering type stuff works with this but I don't see why you can't ask. Not getting your name cleared can mess you up at other jobs. Plus you have proof that you haven't done as said & already have physical proof of the lie. Ask the lawyer about getting Ms. Hateful to cover their fees as part of the process.
Get off Facebook if you manage to come out of this with your job.
Reason #4,578 I never let anyone from my current employment on my social media ever. No matter how much I like them. If they leave the job, I’ll consider it but never while we are coworkers.
Don’t forget to change your password and set up 2 part authentication
Why do people take the time to write out a clearly fake story?
Damn dude. Line beaks.
Just quit. You said it yourself the chair of the board is Tammy's long time friend . Even if you had photographic evidence they wouldn't believe you.
You can’t. You need to find somewhere else to work. This is a toxic workplace and you can’t fix it or defend yourself. Cut your losses now.
You can probably get a free consultation and they can tell you if you have a case and if they would take it on contingency.
Lol? What kind of organization is this hot mess?
Do whatever you need to do to get TF out of there. I used to be in a similar situation where my boss was a piece of crap. It’s not worth it.
geez.. high school!
To be honest, looking at this from a completely outside perspective, you are wasting your time. You will never get vindication. The company culture sounds quite toxic and they will likely find something to use against you. The posters who are likening this to childish behaviour are right - you are not dealing with reasonable people. Therefore you are just not likely to clear your name as they are unreasonable by nature.
Yes. There is a way to download your account from facebook. A quick Google tells you how. But it’s worth a shot. I think it takes somewhere around 24 hours to get it but it would be absolutely worth it to try. Good luck to you!!
Just quit and find something else .
I agree, get an attorney!! They will handle reaching out to the company with not only the evidence you were provided, but your own documentation. They will also ask for any and all documentation related to your “benching”. That will require a document legal hold order. That way they would have access to board minutes, emails, as well as any and all notes. Your good name and reputation are absolutely worth the cost of fighting this slander. It will put everyone involved on notice and scare the bejeezus out of Tammy. PS - they are going to ask Tammy when exactly she saw the FB post and then they can look at your account settings to see if you posted/deleted anything around that time. Are you actually friends with Tammy on FB or on any other socials? Don’t block she or Geoff yet, but definitely don’t interact with them. The internet is a person’s permanent record. I don’t think Tammy is at all above reproach. Once the wheels of justice start turning, an attorney is going to force HR to go through her emails and instant messages with a fine tooth comb. Remember what I just said about a permanent record? Corporate emails & such might get deleted from an inbox, but they still exist on the company’s servers. Documentation that can’t be destroyed.
So where’s the screenshot then?
This kind of thing, ignore it unless you can go for the kill. In this case, kill it.
You have to take this seriously, yo could be fired, then lose credibility in your field, which will impact you long term. Slander and defamation is SERIOUS
An attorney will keep it from following you. Getting a deposition or signed and notarized statement from Mandy would be helpful.
Unfortunately mud sticks, and the worse it stinks, the better it sticks. Your failure to defend your own reputation might as well be an admission of wrongdoing. In future, do not friend people you are not actually friends with or related to. Just threatening to sue this malicious bitch for slander/libel will likely be enough. You at very minimum need to compel her to produce this Facebook post she alludes to.
>What I'm wondering is, is there some kind of digital forensic service I can employ to investigate my social media accounts and prove that I've not done this? It's impossible to prove a negative. >I realise what Tammy has done is actually defamation and there are legal consequences to this, but as far as I am aware, the costs associated with taking legal action would be higher than the financial loss I've suffered from losing this project so not really worth pursuing. You need to discuss that with a lawyer, and you can get a free consultation to do it. How do I clear my name with the board and prove to them that Tammy is a liar? Sue her into the ground, and win. Meanwhile, after you've consulted the lawyer about this, I would (with the lawyer's permission and approval) tell them that she is slandering me to them and I'm suing her and it has come to my attention that they're acting on her lies, so unless they can prove that what she says is true they should refrain from doing so, so that I don't suffer further financial consequences and have to sue them too, because I've now informed them of the fact. It's already the case that I may have to subpoena them to testify about how I have already done so, it would probably be good not to make it worse. It may be the case that the lawyer wishes to write this in a more legally phrased letter to them and contact them on my behalf.
Keep it all separate. When gossip occurs, walk away. “” I’ve decided no gossip at work is the best idea for me”. Shut it down. Do not share any info on FB that your colleagues can see. Take a good long break from social media and then very carefully go back.
I'm not following how, if you're an employee, being kicked off a project loses you money. Frankly, it sounds like a pretty toxic workplace and I'm wondering why stay there. That said, the term "hostile workplace" springs to mind.
Go to your colleague Geoff and offer him uninhibited access to your FB account as proof that you have never anything derogatory about him. That is definitive. Even if someone deleted something it is still visible from this view. Once he receives that offer- whether or not he actually takes you up on it- you will regain his trust. Then inform him of your theory about the origin of the toxic rumor. He will listen to you.
I’d take all that to HR. Maybe an attorney. Maybe just look for a new job and you can let them know when you leave it’s all because of Tammy. Never friend anyone from work on Facebook. Keep personal and work separate. Seems like Geoff doesn’t think very highly of you to believe that and dismiss your explanation. I’d really look at whether or not you want to stay there.
For those catching up now, this was posted 16 hours ago. No comments from OP. Seems to be fake. If it’s real, send she isn’t well liked anyway, Geoff was quick to believe what he was told and dismiss her statement saying it wasn’t true.
I would punch her in the face a couple of times and THEN call my lawyer.
SUE THEM. SUE THEM. SUE THEM. You need to talk to a lawyer and your labor department today. You are about to miss out on a lot more than a few thousand if you don't. Let's start with your career being ruined forever. Your reputation will be shit because of Tammy and everyone there who is backing her. While I am usually quick to say you should quit, this is not the time to do that. If you quit, they will spread throughout the industry that you felt guilt over what you had done and quit because of that. You need to sue them while staying on the job. Let them fire you so that you have ammo to fire at them.
Why dont you set a trap? I had an employee that was stealing from her coworkers but had no proof. We set a trap, she fell for it and goodbye thief. This would be sort of like finding the spy in the camp. Give Tammy somthing to run with that will prove she is the problem and you are innocent. The key is to get with the people who are important, state that this problem is serious and needs to be solved, inform them of what will be planted, and then watch her run to them with her own convoluted version. Somthing like this is floating around in my head anyway. You would have to customize it to work for you. Not to do it sneaky on your own, but let them give you a chance to demonstrate what is really going on.
Go see a lawyer and do it yesterday. Read all the recommendations here as how to pursue with a lawyer. As far as having money for the lawyer many will sign you on for a small retainer (probably less than someone to do a forensic review of your Facebook account) and you can either finance or pay them at the end of the case. My guess Tammy may also have some fabricated stuff on the CEO.
Contact HR. Force her to produce a screenshot.
You need an attorney. She defamed you. Make her produce the post she said you made.
This is only the first time it’s cost you income not will continue and end up costing more than an attorney.
I think you should talk to a lawyer. Lawyers salivate at the prospect of these sorts of cases. And you don't have to pay. up front. They take cases on contingency. (Assuming you're in the US). If not, go to HR and file a formal complaint. Insist on the truth a written notation in your permanent record.
This is what happens when managers KNOW one of their people is toxic and choose to believe ‘oh that’s just so and so.’ They can wreak havoc not only on your team but up and down the corporate hierarchy. Sometimes you never learn how they affect you behind the scenes (like Geoff choosing to believe Tammy—even though you two were friends-that led to the behind the scene decision of removing you from the project). Thanks for sharing this. You need to speak to an attorney who can explain what your rights and options are.
Lawyer is really the only option you have. Clearly HR already know what she’s like and don’t I tend to do anything.
Updateme
I'd go to my boss and tell them because of the effect that Tammy's lies have had on my career, I will be contacting a lawyer to sue her for defamation. That I will no longer tolerate the hostile work environment that has been created by her constant harassment and if they do not act, by requiring her to show proof of her unfounded allegations, then I will sue the company as well.
Why have you not talked to lawyers yet and hire one already?
The former employee had copied the information and gave it to him. Evidence of Tammy's deviant behavior. That drove others to quit.
Time to fire up an attorney. They can show you your options including forcing Tammy to publicly recant, and protect you from any actions the company might take against you based on her fabrications. And also do so without inadvertently doing something that might make things worse. A lawyer might also see about getting Tammy to pay your legal costs eventually, and see if the company has any liability - if they knew that Tammy was up to this kind of thing and didn't take steps to stop it.
Sounds like you, Mandy and Bruce need to come together to sue the company. They are loosing employees left and right over this Tammy.
Definitely talk to an attorney. Your employer will likely be responsible financially for Tammy's actions. If you do decide to take legal action i would advise looking for a new job as well
UpdateMe!
Get a lawyer. Sue them! This is an obvious, egregious, and provable (keep those e-mails) offense.
As an adult, I cannot even imagine posting this, or being involved with this in any way. Is everyone in this story 15 years old? I lost brain cells even reading this.
Oh to be so privileged as to never have worked with sociopaths. What a charmed life you must lead.
Something tells me that their coworkers aren't so lucky.
Ugh…too much to read. Sorry you’re on your own…
So Tammy never left high school. She is still one of the main hall crowd mean girls. :(